Reliable and robust molecular sexing of the hen harrier (Circus cyaneus) using PCR-RFLP of the CHD1 gene

The hen harrier (Circus cyaneus) is a bird of prey that is persecuted in the United Kingdom, and there is a need for a DNA-based individual identification and sexing system for the use in forensic investigations. This study reports a new set of PCR primers for the chromo-helicase-DNA-binding protein 1 gene, which allows sexing using PCR-RFLP. Instead of exonic primers that amplify across a large intron, this set consists of a primer within the intron, enabling reduction in amplicon sizes from 356 to 212 bp and 565 to 219 bp in W and Z chromosomes. DNA degradation and dilution experiments demonstrate that this set is significantly more robust than one that amplifies across the intron, and sequencing of the intronic primer-binding region across several individuals shows that it is highly conserved. While our objective is to incorporate this primer set into an STR-based individualization kit, it may in the meantime prove useful in forensic or conservation studies

Modelling the mechanisms of nitridation of SiC based devices during anneals in NH3 and NO gases

The work presented in this thesis is focused on the mechanisms of processes thatoccur during the NO and NH3anneals of 4H-SiC/a-SiO2devices, specifically on thenitridation of performance limiting defects in a-SiO2. All results are found usingdensity functional theory (DFT) and classical molecular dynamics.The first two results chapters of this thesis investigate the interactions of nitricoxide (NO) and ammonia (NH3) with a pristine a-SiO2network. This investigationis important on two fronts, the first is that the oxide used in these devices is of highquality (CVD oxide), and the second is that these molecules have been shown to in-corporate into the oxide and, in some cases, chemically interact with it. Hence onemust understand the interactions of these molecules with the pristine a-SiO2. My re-sults demonstrate that neutral NO molecules only have steric repulsive interactionswith the pristine network and negative NO molecule interacts with the network Siatoms electrostatically. These interactions manifest as higher NO migration barri-ers in the negative charge state compared to the neutral charge state. Ammonia isshown to form similar interstitials but also react with the surface silanol groups toform smaller ammonia fragments, like NH2and NH, which then lead to nitridationseen in elemental studies of such devices.In the next chapter I examine the interaction of NO and NH3fragments withcommon defects in the a-SiO2network. The results in this chapter show how thecharge transition levels (CTLs) of known oxide defects move deeper into the SiC/a-SiO2band gap, on nitridation, leading to the conclusion that the tunnelling proba-bility to these defects decreases due to the large difference in energy between theSiC CBM and the nitridated defect levels. In the final chapter I present the results of simulations of the structure and properties of a SiC/a-SiO2interface as well asthe effects of proximity of the interface for defect properties. Finally, I discuss thecharacter of surface relaxation of the a-face of 4H-SiC

Jackrabbit Dairy and Food Review

This is the Winter 2017- 2018 Jackrabbit Dairy and Food Review. It contains the following articles and information: Message from the Department Head, 2017 Graduates, New Faculty and Visitors, information on the Dairy Club and Food Science Club, Judging Activities, Student Accomplishments, Professional Activities of Faculty and Staff, Distinguished Alumni, Dairy Facilities, a list of Scholarships and Dairy and Food Science Students, information on Departmental Outreach and Research Highlights

Jackrabbit Dairy and Food Review

This is the Winter 2017- 2018 Jackrabbit Dairy and Food Review. It contains the following articles and information: Message from the Department Head, 2017 Graduates, David A. Thompson Endowment, New Faculty and Visitors, information on the Dairy Club and Food Science Club, Judging Activities, Student Accomplishments, Professional Activities of Faculty and Staff, Distinguished Alumni, Dairy Facilities, a list of Scholarships and Dairy and Food Science Students, information on Departmental Outreach and Research Highlights

Jackrabbit Dairy & Food Review, Winter 2019-2020

This is the Winter 2019- 2020 Jackrabbit Dairy and Food Review.It contains the following articles and information: Message from the Department Head, David A. Thompson Endowment, New Personnel, Judging Activities, Dairy Club, Student Accomplishments, Food Science Club, Career Opportunities, Professional Activities of Faculty and Staff, Dairy Facilities, 2019 Graduates, Where Are They Now?, Scholarships, Dairy and Food Science Students, Outreach, Distinguished Alumnu

Book review of Speaking Out Against Racism in the University Space (2018) by Shirin Housee

In Speaking Out, Shirin Housee invites the reader to share in a personal and, at times, emotional and complex journey of some of the lived experiences of minoritised students in UK universities. In this book, Housee offers many compelling reflections that echo a voice that is finding considerable traction (cf. Arbouin, 2018) in these uncertain and discordant times that deserves to be shared and heard. Provocatively titled, the reader is provided with a sense of the unseen, silenced, unheard, or ignored accounts of students to offer a more nuanced and critical understanding of racism in universities, whilst offering reflective tools to address an internal innocence or naïveté and to counter institutional racism. [Review continues

Sector reports review: February to August 2019

This paper provides a summary of selected reports and papers (‘grey literature’) published by key HE sector organisations in England (and the UK), and ‘think tanks’ between February and August 2019. These include: Advance HE; The Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS); Careers Research and Advising Centre Ltd (CRAC); Department for Education (DfE); Higher Education Careers Services Unit (HECSU); Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI); Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA); The Insight Network/Dig-In; Jisc; Milkround; National Education Opportunities Network (NEON); National Union of Students (NUS); Office for the Independent Adjudicator (OIA); Office for Students (OfS); Onward; Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA); Society of College, National and University Libraries (SCONUL) The Sutton Trust; The Student Engagement Partnership (TSEP); Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS); Universities and Colleges Information Systems Association (UCISA); UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA); UK Standing Committee for Quality Assessment (UKSCQA); Universities and Colleges Union (UCU); Universities UK (UUK); Universities UK International (UUKi); and UPP Foundation. The themes covered in the paper include: The Augar Review; the Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework; value-for-money and student expectations; teaching quality and assessment; student complaints; the digital experience; learning spaces; learning gain; university admissions; contextualised admissions; clearing; unconditional offers; degree apprenticeships; mature learners and healthcare courses; transition to university; accelerated degrees; equality and diversity; mental health and wellbeing; hate crime, sexual violence and online harassment; the Prevent duty; graduate attainment; destinations of disabled graduates; graduate earnings and value; Longitudinal Educational Outcomes; employability and careers; internationalisation; the civic university; HE management and leadership; transformational change; Athena SWAN; BAME leadership in HE; and BAME library staff

Composition and Microstructure of Commercial Full-Fat and Low-Fat Cheeses

The objective of this study was to analyze the composition of commercial full-fat and low-fat cheeses and to evaluate their microstructure. Commercial cheeses evaluated included full-fat and low-fat Cheddar, Mozzarella , processed, and Swiss cheeses. Cheddar cheeses ranged from 8.2% fat and 5 1.1% moisture in the 75% low-fat product to 33.2% fat and 35.9% moisture in the full-fat cheese . Mozzarella cheeses ranged in fat from a low of 2. I% to a high of 24% with corresponding moisture content of 56.6 to 45.5% respectively. Fatfree processed cheese had 0. 9% fat and 58.7% moisture , while the full - fat cheese had 32.3% fat and 37.4% moisture. Full -fat Swiss cheese had fat and moisture content of 34.8 and 36.7% , respectively. The corresponding values for the low-fat cheese were 27.6 and 40.1 %. Total protein con ten t of all cheeses increased with decreasing fat, but. the percent increase in protein was less than the percent reduction in fat. The ash content of Cheddar and Swiss also increased with a decrease in fat content. The fat con tent of cheeses affected the microstructure. Full -fat cheeses for all varieties were characterized by a protein matrix interspersed with fat globules of varying shape and size. Low-fat cheeses had fewer fat globules within the protein matrix, and the globules were usually smaller than in the full-fat cheese. The protein matrix dominated the structure of low-fat cheeses which would explain the firm, rubbery body and texture characteristics